I'm Gonna Live Forever
by DefyingPopular
Summary: Inspired by the new Fame movie, but not a crossover. When Nessa gets a scholarship to Shiz Academy of Performing Arts, Elphaba is forced against her will to go too.Can she find her voice and beat the young hopefuls who all want a contract with the Wizard?
1. Am I More Than You Bargained For?

**a/n: Woop! So this is my first fic after coming back to ! Wish me luck, haha. Soooo, a note or two about the story: I got the idea after watching the trailer for the new Fame movie, and thought 'oooooh, Shizz!' Yes, I'm serious, that is exactly how this story came about.**

**Also, I'm going to try and have it follow the storyline of the musical (Wicked, not Fame) and I have that prepared up to the end of Act 1 (where Elphie runs off, after singing Defying Gravity, but I'm sure you knew that =D), so if anyone has any ideas about how I could interpret the second act into performing arts and shizz (no pun intended, I genuinely use that word a lot haha!) please message or comment or something, cause I could really use the help :D**

**Oh, and this might be a little of order; I've seen Wicked once and so I can't really rely on my memory to get it all correct – but all the key parts will be in it.**

**Enjoooooooy!**

**Disclaimer: If you think I own Wicked, then you are sadly wrong, but thank you for thinking I'm good enough to have written it =D**

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Galinda Upland, of the _Upper _Uplands, was not someone you ignored unless you had a pink and fluffy death wish. This was really quite convenient considering she was enrolled in the Shiz Academy of Performing Arts, Oz's most esteemed and only Theatre School, where she was sure to get heaps of attention. Everything about her screamed look at me, from her blonde, bouncing curls to her shrill voice, which somehow became a beautiful low-pitched sound when she sang. So, of course, she was destined to be Popular. Not just 'popular' but _Popular_.

Elphaba Thropp, on the other hand, did not want attention, but she got it. She did not want to be stared at, but she was. She didn't want to have bright green skin, but she did. And she really, really, _really _did not want to be at Shiz. So of course, following the pattern of her life she was. It wasn't that she didn't love to sing and dance and play piano as well as she did, it was just she didn't want to do it in front of other people.

The two girls were polar opposites; the exact definition of chalk and cheese. So how did they become best friends? Well...

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Nessarose had a scholarship to Shiz Academy of Performing Arts.

It was a very big deal, and Frex was making an awful lot of fuss about it, but for some reason, Elphaba just couldn't be happy for her. She smiled, of course, albeit a little painfully, and nodded her head politely when her sister gabbled on about how excited and honoured she was, but inside her stomach turned, unconvinced by the messages of happiness her brain was sending out.

"I'm just so relieved that you're coming to Shiz with me, Elphaba," Nessa gushed, grasping her sister's hand as she knelt next to her chair. "It wouldn't be right if you weren't there. After all, you have a scholarship too..."

_But I don't want it_, Elphaba thought wretchedly, while her features remained the perfect vision of calmness.

She'd got the scholarship a year ago, but had decided against going to Shiz. When Nessa, shocked that she had declined her place, asked why in Oz she hadn't gone, Elphaba made two valid points, which she pretty much lived her life by: stage fright was the first, and she'd been plagued by it since the tender age of four, when in her school's Lurlinemas production, she'd been asked to sing a little song, representing the nursery class. Elphaba had been fine... till she got on stage. They never talked about the incident again. Ever.

The second was that she was green. Elphaba thought that one to be rather obvious.

But now Nessa had a chance to go, but she couldn't go without someone to look after her. And Elphaba wasn't going to let herself stand in the way of her sister's dreams.

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Elphaba felt like laughing; in the thirty-two seconds she had been inside the buildings of Shizz, she had already been screamed, gasped and shrieked at, as well as one girl unfortunately fainting at her feet. Thirty-two seconds and her predictions had come true.

Everyone was staring at her.

Ummm...

_Oh for Oz's sake! _Frustrated she whirled to face her audience, ignoring the familiar feeling of fear in her gut; "_What?_" she snapped. "What are you all looking at?" She raised a single eyebrow icily, then mocked realisation. "Oh, do I have something in my teeth?" She asked sarcastically to the terrified group of students, all clutching different shaped musical instruments to their chests as though they were their only protection.

Elphaba slammed her suitcase down. "Let's just get this over with!" She snarled, pushing herself into a student's face. "_No, _I'm not seasick, _yes, _I've always been green, _no, _I did not eat grass as a child..." with each answer to the unasked questions she faced a different student, her voice growing with her confidence and anger.

"Elphaba!" Frex's voice rang through the silent hall. Elphaba knew she was in trouble, but she had a final point to make.

She turned to see her father pushing Nessarose into the hall and stormed over to them. "And this is my sister, Nessarose," she announced. "And as you can see she is a perfectly normal colour!"

"Elphaba!" Frex growled loudly, and she shrunk back slightly, falling silent. After making his goodbyes to his _darling _Nessa and presenting her with a pair of jewelled shoes (at which she squealed in delight), he turned to Elphaba and scowled.

"Take care of your sister," he snapped, thrusting the now empty shoebox into her hands. "And try not to talk so much!" he pushed past her with a fond look at his youngest daughter.

"Elphaba..." Nessa's tone was apologetic, but Elphaba waved it off.

"What could he get me?" She shrugged. "I clash with everything."

Their attention was suddenly grabbed as a large woman, dressed in red and gold with an over-powdered face and hair that if was discovered to be a wig no one would be surprised, bustled in, with a grand sweep of her arms and a loud, gracious "Welcome, students! I am Madam Morrible, Head_shiz_tress here at Shizz Academy." She paused, before noticing Nessarose. "Ah, you must be Nessarose, the Munchkinland Governor's daughter... what a tragically beautiful face..." She let out a sigh, which turned to a shriek as Elphaba tapped her on her wide shoulder.

"I'm the other daughter," Elphaba informed her, not in the slightest effected by the scream – what was one shout to the hundreds of others she heard in her lifetime? "I'm beautifully tragic."

"Ah, um, yes." Madam Morrible looked rather uncomfortable, squirming slightly under her huge hair. She glanced down, remembered something and began talking to the whole room again, pleased to have an excuse to get away from the Elphaba's stare. "Now, regarding room assignments-"

"Ohhhhhhh, Madam Morribleeeeeee!" A sing-song voice rang throughout the hall as a small, petite blonde in staggering high heels and poofy skirt danced forward, fluttering her hand in the air.

"Is this to do with room assignments?" Morrible raised an eyebrow, disapproving of the girl's choice of, well, _everything_

"Well, I've already been assigned a _private _suite," The girl tossed her hair, as moans rose from the crowd. _Yes, because who wouldn't want to room with a pink puffball?_ Elphaba thought to herself, snidely.

"Oh, but you are all welcome to visit whenever you want!" The girl added, and beamed at the chorus of approval. She turned back to Morrible. "My name is Galinda Upland, of the, uh, _Upper _Uplands," she tossed her hair over her should as she announced her title. "I just wanted to say how much I look forward to your _private_ tutorials this term; I've enrolled early in them, of course-"

"My dear," Madam Morrible said, although she was aware of her mind telling her she didn't want this small, squeaky thing to be her dear at all. "I'm afraid I only give my tutorials if someone special comes along. Someone with pure talent."

"Well, exactly!" Galinda squealed, practically bouncing with excitement.

"Madam Morrible?" Elphaba cut in swiftly, wheeling Nessa forward to be on the opposite side of the teacher to Galinda. "We haven't received _our _room assignments yet."

"Ah, yes," Morrible told her that Nessa would be staying in her apartments, so she was always going to be watched after.

"But... but what about me?" Elphaba stammered, quite unsure of what to do with herself.

"Oh, we'll find someone for you to share with..." Morrible waved her off as she turned to the assembled students. "It is a tradition, in Shiz, that on the first day, all new students perform in front of each other, so we can fully approve you as a theatrical artiste." She swept around the hall, tall, elegant and proud, completely in her moment. "We want to fully assess your talents, so we can determine just what they are... for example: my talent is acting – I can act like you are the best singer in the world, when you are, in reality, most definitely not. But please, trust me when I say that, with all your performances, I will be _brutally _honest." She gazed around the students, who all seemed terrified. "So, who will be first?"

One hand steadily rose above the others. "We must accept this challenge, my dear, fellow classmates. If we cannot perform for one another, then do we have a hope to-"

"Miss Galinda, would you please be quiet?" Morrible snapped, and Galinda's arm and jaw dropped suddenly. "I will decide who participates first." She whirled around. "The elder Miss Thropp, please enlighten us with your talents."

"Bu... but... I'm here.... Nessa, not me, I'm not here for performing-" Elphaba stuttered and stammered through various excuses.

"Miss Elphaba, if you are at Shiz, you are performing, here for your sister, or not." Morrible said sharply. "I believe you can play piano, yes?"

"I, uh... yes," Elphaba murmured resignedly.

Madame Morrible gestured to the piano in the corner of the room. "You may begin."

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**a/n Okaaay, so if you read this far, thank you! That was longer than I intended it to be, but oh well. So, if you enjoyed it please review! If you didn't please tell me why and I'll try fix it in the next chapter. Either way, please review! Thank you vair much if you do!**

**(btw, if you review, I ALWAYS go and check your stories, and try and review some of your stuff. Because I'm soooooo good like that *giggles with a little Galinda kick*)**

**Love DefyingPopular/Esme xxx**


	2. Dance, Dance, We're Falling Apart

**a/n If you reviewed or alerted this story, then I think I messaged you all saying thanks. If I didn't then sorry :S I must have skipped you by accident or not noticed, which is unlikely but oh wells. Thank you anyways :-) Theres gonna be some alterations to the story, but I hope you'll enjoyy it anyways xD**

**This chappie is dedicated to –greenTARDISgal- because she gave me some awesome suggestions and ideas and quite frankly was very swankified =D**

**Disclaimer: Do you really think I own Wicked? Do you **_**really? **_**Well, I don't. But I do own Meret. You can have him if you want/**

Elphaba closed her eyes, running her fingers over the keys of the piano, smiling softly as she memorized the feel of the cold plastic against her skin. Without opening her eyes, she sat down and played.

Never had Morrible seen someone play with so much passion. They way she started so gently, timidly, how as the tempo increased so did the pressure that she pushed down on the keys, how the whole time she kept her eyes shut, playing with her soul not her mind. She knew the piano well enough to be able to locate the correct notes without a single mistake.

Every single one of the pupils was enthralled, including Miss Galinda, who, of course, denied it later, in the music floating in the air around them. None of them had ever heard a melody so engaging, so perfect, never seen someone look so passionate, so... beautiful.

And that's when Morrible noticed _it. _Elphaba's lips were silently mouthing words, her forehead creasing as she mimed the lyrics to some unknown song. Morrible's lips curled up into a smile – this green girl hadn't written a piano tune; she'd written a _song._

"_Sing..." _Morrible whispered gently, and suddenly Elphaba surprised everyone, including herself by suddenly belting out the words halfway through the line she had been murmuring. She nearly opened her eyes in shock, but kept them closed tight. She knew if she saw everyone she'd become too embarrassed to keep going.

If the students had been captured by her before, they were cemented into her music now, as her voice, pure and sweet whirled around them, making the piano's sound richer and deeper when she added her own tones to it.

She was amazing.

Elphaba's strong voice held the last note as her fingers coaxed the last few notes out of the piano. She opened her eyes and was met with deafening silence.

"Um... sorry..." she muttered, suddenly shy under all the awed gazes she was receiving. Although to her, they seemed like they were shocked. As in, shocked at how awful she was.

"Never apologise for talent, my dear," Madam Morrible swept over to Elphaba, grasped both her hands, pulling her into a standing position. "Especially such pure talent as yours. You will be enrolled into my private tutorials at once; I will take no other students" – a horrified gasp came from Galinda, who had recovered first out of her trance of amazement – "and teach you personally, every week, no, every _day. _Oh, Miss Elphaba, many years I have waited for talent as good as yours. Why, I imagine the Wizard would make you a star, if you study as you should, you'll be making... _good."_

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It turned out that 'finding someone' for Elphaba to 'share with' turned out to be stuffing her in with the only person who didn't have a room mate. Which meant she was sharing a room with-

"I think we should divide the room in half," Galinda announced snootily as Elphaba hesitantly sat on the end of her bed, pulling her suitcase onto her lap. "Oh! Is that _all _you've brought? You'll not even need half! That will barely fill a drawer! It's a good job then, since I need all the space in the wardrobe – I mean it's not like it matters if _your _clothes are creased, they're all black and ugly and hideocious so..."

"It's hideous," Elphaba interrupted. "Not 'hideocious' as you incorrectly put it."

Galinda stared at her like she'd grown an extra head. "What_ever_," she flipped her hair over her shoulder. "All that matters is that you know that I _always _get my own way, so don't get comfy – you won't be staying long." She stalked into the bathroom with a flutter of her fingers in a sarcastic imitation of a wave.

Elphaba flopped back onto the bed with a groan. The amount of pink and yellow in the room was giving her a headache, along with the flowery stench of too much perfume that hung around her like a deadly mist.

The bathroom door suddenly opened, as Galinda's head popped round the side. "And don't touch any of my things!" she growled before slamming the door so hard the hinges rattled.

"I wouldn't dare..." Elphaba muttered, glancing at Galinda's bed which was laden heavily with so many pillows and soft toys, you couldn't see where the mattress actually was. It just looked like a pile of fluff on a wooden frame. "Trust me... I _really _wouldn't..."

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It turned out that, although Elphaba was clearly brilliant at singing and playing piano, she was terrible at dancing. The first dance class of the new semester had been somewhat embarrassing for her, as everyone expected her to excel in this area of performing as she did in the others, and when they were disappointed, they turned to laughing at her.

Galinda especially took time out of practising her own routine to humiliate Elphaba as much as possible, glad that this clearly imperfect girl was bad at something that Galinda herself was skilled at. It gave her a sense of superiority, and made her feel extremely swankified as she spun around her roommate in a beautiful series of steps that put Elphaba's attempts at the simplest moves to shame.

As Elphaba turned on the spot, jaw set, feeling stupider and stupider with every snicker aimed in her direction, the teacher, a 'famous' dance instructor who Galinda had showered with compliments (not sucking up or _anything)_ announced that 'since _some people _were having so much difficulty dancing solo,' she would partner them up, so they could help each other learn the dance.

"Wonderful," Elphaba murmured sarcastically under her breath as the boy she was paired tried to stay as far from her as possible, while quickly muttering the routine to her, as though she would be able to do it on the spot. He didn't seem like a bad person, Elphaba reasoned, he just didn't know her. He probably thought her skin was a disease or something.

"Erm, could you go through that slower please? And maybe show me the moves?" Elphaba asked politely.

The boy sighed, obviously annoyed, and Elphaba's good thoughts for him started to dissolve. "Sure, whatever,"

Determined to show him that she wanted to be friendly, Elphaba asked, "So what's your name?"

"Meret." The boy answered, not even bothering to look at her as he spoke.

"You know, you can come closer. I'm not poisonous or anything." Elphaba took a step towards him, but he shot her a disgusted look and took three steps further away.

"I know," he sneered nastily, before turning and talking to Galinda who had witnessed the whole exchange and was smirking, as though she had triumphed at something. _If that something was being a cold-hearted witch, _Elphaba thought snidely to herself _then she's doing brilliantly at it. She ought to be proud of herself._

Nessarose, who had been watching the class as she couldn't participate, wheeled herself over to Elphaba with a sympathetic look on her face. She patted her sister's hand comfortingly and said, "I guess us Thropp girls just aren't meant to dance," and wheeled off again.

_Gee, thanks Nessa, _Elphaba rolled her eyes and turned to try and wrangle the dance steps out of Meret, _that makes me feel _so _much better._

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**Okay so I hope that wasn't a let down, because I kinda feel like it was. It seems short. Its sort of a filler and its introducing the dance class which becomes air important later on (When Fiyero arrives *wink wink*) and also Galinda's character a bit more. She's meaner in this than she was in the show, which is intentional, because although I **_**love **_**the show, I didn't feel like Galinda was really as cruel as I think she was meant to be at the beginning, but whatever. And Nessa? I just have to have tactless character in there somewhere :P**

**If you liked it review and tell me why. If you didn't review and tell me why. If you want me to shut up tell me. I already know why :P**

**Love DefyingPopular/Esme xxx**


	3. I Don't Blame You For Being You

**a/n I didn't update. Sorry. I have too many plot bunnies. And they had babies. And then THEY had babies. So my original plot bunnies are grandparents... Yay!**

**Fiyero's appearance is based on Oli Tompsett, but with blue eyes, cause loads of people describe Yero with blue eyes :)**

**Hi to any DailyBoothers out there reading this :)**

**Disclaimer: Oh, I had a really funny thing to say 'I don't own Wicked' but I forgot it. Darn!**

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Before her first private session with Madam Morrible, Elphaba felt terrified. Her palms were sweaty as she knocked hesitantly on the door, trying to wipe her damp fingers on her dress before the teacher saw her. The door swung open, and Morrible stood there, looking impressive_. Impressively like a fish_, thought Elphaba, and then scolded herself for it.

"Ah, my dear Miss Elphaba, do come in," Elphaba was ushered into a grand ballroom, decorated in deep red velvety wallpaper, marked with golden swirls, that looked vaguely like musical notes. Her eyes followed one of the shining marble pillars up to the ceiling and gasped. Painted on the canvas stretched across the roof were the black and white keys of a piano, swirling in between pictures of guitars, violins, flutes and every other musical instrument Elphaba had ever seen or heard of.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Morrible asked, smiling slightly at the awed look in her young protégée's eyes. The green girl gave a small nod, before letting her eyes drift back to the professor. "I find it inspires me when I feel musically challenged," she gave a deep-throated chuckle. "Which isn't often, of course!"

Elphaba nodded, bemused. This should be fun...

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Galinda gave a loud sniff as her roommate returned from her first meeting with Madam Morrible, which really should have been hers.

"Well, how was it?" she asked, snootily, trying to act as if she couldn't care less.

Elphaba could see right through her and so merely answered "It was okay."

"Okay? O_kay?_" Galinda sprung up from her seat on the bed, glaring at her roommate, who took a step back in surprise. The blonde started to pace up and down the floor of their room. "You just had a _private _lesson, with someone who thinks you could get a contract with the _Wizard _and his recording company, something I would _die _for," she paused her pacing to grab Elphaba by the shoulders and practically scream "And you thought it was _okay?"_

Elphaba backed away until she was pressed against the door. "Um," she said, as Galinda breathed heavily. "It was...good?"

In two seconds Galinda had regained both her breath and composure. "Whatever, like I care," and turned to her dressing table to apply more mascara.

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It was during dance class, about two months into the school year when the new boy came, swinging the door to the studio open and straight into Elphaba's face.

"Hey!" she half-shouted, rather indignantly. "You just hit me with the door!"

"Hmm?" The boy turned lazily round, and Elphaba's breath caught in her throat for a second. He was tall, but not too tall, with thick brown hair falling down to just above his shoulders. It fell slightly into his face and as he flicked it to the side, bright blue eyes caught Elphaba's attention. Then he said "Sorry, I thought you were a greenfly. I was trying to squash you," and she let the breath out, scowling.

"Well, that's just-" Elphaba began haughtily, only to be cut off my a loud squeal from Galinda, who immediately covered up her mouth in embarrassment. All eyes were on the blonde, which was normally just what she wanted. However, right now she only desired the new boy's attention.

With a low curtsey she gushed, "Your Highness," and, as she was _Galinda, _everyone else in the room followed suit, apart from Elphaba who just raised her eyebrows in disbelief and folded her arms, scoffing quietly, Nessa, who couldn't curtsey and a short boy with badly combed hair who came to stand by the two Thropps.

"Stupid prince," he muttered, under his breath. "I'd just managed to talk to Miss Galinda as well..." he tugged at his tie angrily. "Then he just has to come barging in, ruining everything..." He continued to grumble, until Elphaba had had enough.

"First sign of madness, talking to yourself," she commented casually. The boy jumped half a mile into the air when she spoke; he obviously hadn't realised that she was next to him. "Of course, the second is fancying Miss Galinda..."

The boy stared at her for a few moments, then grinned. "Well, what can I say?" he laughed and held out his hand. "I'm Boq. From Munchkinland."

"Elphaba. The Munchkinland's Governor's daughter." She smiled, grasping his fingers in a quick handshake. Boq frowned.

"I thought you were in a chair...?" It was a question, rather than a statement.

"Oh, no, I'm the _other _daughter, the one that isn't allowed out of the house because I will 'disgrace the family name' with my, uh, green-ness." Elphaba stepped t the side slightly so Boq could see her sister. "This is Nessa, the more known daughter and my sister."

Nessa didn't notice the introduction as she was too busy wistfully watching the class resume dancing. Galinda had discarded her previous partner to be whirled around in the new boy's arms. He was obviously a very experienced dancer, with the way he twirled and dipped Galinda until she was breathless.

"I hope you don't mind me saying, Miss Elphaba," Boq started, his eyes glued to Nessa. "But your sister is very beautiful..."

Elphaba watched as the perfect couple of the handsome prince and pretty princess danced, putting everyone else in the hall to shame with their skills. She sighed.

"Tragic, isn't it?"

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**Okay, so I'm not sure whether I like this chapter or not. I didn't put Elphaba and Madam Morrible's session in on purpose for reasons you will find out later. Also the Boq/Elphaba friendship is because I just read the book and I thought how they were friend was really sweet :) I think if there hadn't been Fiyero, I would've been a Boq/Elphaba shipper – weird, huh? The Bessa has been put I for obsessive-elphaba cause she's awesome =D**

**Please tell me what you think! And also check out my collab with obsessive-elphaba, which is a crossover between Wicked and Enchanted :D Its called Enchantifying hehe**

**Now that that shameless plug is over, thanks to everyone who reviewed Sight at First Love too. The review count went from 5 to 13 in a few days, and I was so surprised I said something very rude, and my friends were like 'Esme!' cause I was on my mobile nd anyways, thank youuu!**

**xxx**


	4. I Just Want To Believe In Me

**Whyyyy, hellllllllo there!**

**Disclaimerinator: Not mine, Wicked be (Yoda FTW!) Neither is the song, which is Demi Lovato's 'Believe in Me' and is rather beautiful :)**

Elphaba's friendship with Boq grew stronger and deeper each day – being her first real friend she was hesitant, and when they spoke they talked about him more than her. He confessed to her that he was confused – torn between is adoration for Miss Galinda and a funny feeling he had in his gut when he saw Nessarose.

"Follow your gut," Elphaba advised him. "It's a lot more reliable than your heart most of the time." As she spoke her gaze wandered over the courtyard they were sat in to where the prince – who they had found out through Elphaba eavesdropping on galinda's gossip was called Fiyero - and Galinda were walking, arms linked, Galinda giggling and Fiyero beaming.

Boq followed her eyeline, his eyes lingering on Galinda, before realising, "Miss Elphie, you don't have a crush on _Fiyero_ do you?"

Elphaba was on her feet in a second, bristling like cat. "No!" she cried defensively, attracting a few stares. Lowering her voice she hissed "He is a brainless oaf, he hit me with a door within seconds of meeting me! If anything I completely, utterly loathe him! In fact, the only person I hate more than him is his blond, bubble-brained idiot of a girlfriend!"

"Elphaba!" Boq whisper-shouted, gripping her wrist and pulling her back down to sit beside him. She landed with a huff, folding her arms and scowling in the other direction.

"I am hurt you even thought about such a thing, Boq," she sniffed.

"Awwh, come on Elphie!" Boq nudged her shoulder, upset when she didn't turn. "Elphaba? I thought we were friends..." He sounded so miserable, the green girl turned back and gave him a swift hug – she wasn't one for physical contact, he knew.

"There's no need to be so melodramatic, Boqqy," she ruffled his hair, using the nickname she had made up for him to annoy him when he began to call her 'Elphie'

"Boqqy?" there was a high-pitched laugh, far too high pitched to be taken seriously, with mean undertones so it sounded half like a cackle. Elphaba turned, slightly horrified, still wincing from the pain the laugh had inflicted on her eardrums, to see Galinda and Fiyero right behind her. Galinda's face was twisted into a rather evil expression, lips pursed while Fiyero was looking down at the two friends, smirking. "The munchkin and the _witch_," Galinda sneered.

A couple of people noticed Galinda and rushed to fawn over her, before they were stopped in their tracks, laughing at her statement. Elphaba jumped up again, ready to defend herself, but Galinda continued before she could start.

"they deserve each other, don't they darling?" she turned to Fiyero. "Two outcasts. Two loners. Oh, yes, they make the perfect couple," She glanced at Boq, who's infatuation was fading quickly. "Oh, but then, you like her _sister_ don't you? Poor Elphie," she looked at her roommate, tilting her head sideways, pouting slightly. "No one wants her!"

All of Elphaba's anger dissolved into pain and sadness, as she herself dissolved into tears. Pushing through the crowd that had gathered without her noticing, she ran into the building.

Boq stood, hesitating, not sure whether to follow or not. Deciding against it, he turned to the group of people. "Miss Galinda," he said, coldly, before stalking off to find Nessarose and ask her why Elphie was so hurt by Galinda's statement.

Galinda raised her eyebrows in amusement at his 'rejection', wondering if she was supposed to be affected by the little person's iciness. Turning to wrap her arms around Fiyero, she was met with only a little squeeze, a frown darkening his face.

"What?" Galinda asked, innocently.

"Don't you think you were a little mean to that girl then?" he asked her, and she was shocked to find he was being serious.

"Who, Miss Elphaba?" Galinda raised her eyebrows again, this time in surprise. "No! There's a lot worse things been said to her!"

"Then why add to it?"

"Oh, _you _can talk!" Galinda scoffed, wrenching herself from his arms, pushing him back with two delicate hands on his chest. "What was the first thing you said to her? You tried to squash her! You _hit _her with the door! Physical abuse!" she almost shrieked, causing some of the onlookers who hadn't heard the rest of the hispered argument to stare in surprise. Noticing them, Galinda let out a little fake giggle, dragging Fiyero away.

"_I _didn't do it on purpose," Fiyero growled when they were alone in Galinda's room. HE couldn't help but notice the difference between the two halves of the room – one was simple, blacks and blues, with huge stacks of books piled everywhere from on top of the full shelf to a precarious tower next to the bed while the other was pink and fluffy and glittery and so Galinda-ish, with as many soft toys and dresses strewn all over the floor and the bed as there were books on Elphaba's side.

"_You _also didn't apologise," Galinda hissed back, prodding him in the chest with one manicured finger.

"And neither did you," Fiyero sighed, running a hand through his hair and sitting on the edge of Elphaba's bed. "I think we're both in the wrong here," he said after a while, looking up in surprise at Galinda's horrified gasp.

"Thinking...?" she whispered, mortified. Fiyero tried not to roll his eyes.

"How about this," he began, plan formulating. "you apologise for what you did, and so will I for what I did? Yes?" Well, I never said it was a imaginative plan.

Galinda sniffed. "Fine." Sitting down, she pulled a teddy at random from the floor, producing a comb from somewhere and brushing its fur gently. Glancing up to see Fiyero standing with his eyebrows raised, she gasped. "You mean _now?"_

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It took them around fifteen minutes to find Galinda's roommate, checking every classroom and (in Galinda's case) all the female toilets on the first and second floor. With every no-show of Elphaba, Galinda would gush and moan and say that she thought this was pointless, they should wait till later. But for some reason that even Fiyero wasn't sure of himself, he was determined to find this strange girl, and even more determined to get on her good side.

Finally, as they reached the top of the staircase to the third floor, they heard a gentle piano melody floating along the corridor from one of the classrooms full of instruments. Approaching quietly, the couple found the door slightly open, and both glanced in, trying to stop themselves from gasping at the sight that met them.

Elphaba had her back to the door, sat at the grand piano which appeared to have been in the same plce for a couple of years, judging by the layer of dust coating it. Nevertheless her fingers were somehow drawing a sweet sound form the usually tinny instrument, softly caressing the white and black of the keys, almost lovingly.

"_I'm losing myself,"_ she sang softly, taking both Galinda and Fiyero by surprise. _"Trying to compete,_

_With everyone else_

_Instead of just being me,"_

The couple at the door exchanged guilty glances with each other. Elphaba continued to sing, her voice getting louder as she grew more confident.

"_Don't know where to turn,_

_I've been stuck in this routine,_

_I'm here to change my ways,_

_Instead of always being weak,"_ she trailed off, coaxing out more notes from the piano.

"_I don't want to be afraid, _

_I want to wake up feeling beautiful, today,_

_And know that it's okay,_

_Because everyone's perfect in their usual way,_

_So you see, _

_I just want to believe in..."_ her voice cracked and her fingers left the keys to wipe at her eyes. It didn't take a genius, and as brainless as Fiyero was – or pretended to be – h knew she was crying. The sudden loss of music made the room eerily silent. Fiyero looked at Galinda to see her eyes sparkling with unshed tears, staring at the floor, guilt written across her face.

Elphaba swallowed. "...Me..." she sang quietly, although in the quiet room it sounded louder, pure and hollow.

Galinda turned away then, almost running in her heels down the hall to her dorm, anywhere private. Fiyero watched her go, leaning against the wall with a lump in his throat, without even thinking of following her. His mind was wandering down the same path as hers, though, both of them making a silent promise to themselves that from now on, they were going to be a lot nicer to this odd, thought-provoking, talented, fluorescent green girl.

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**Awwh. Sadders for Elphie. Next chappie will be happier, I promise! But only if you review! Mwahahaha! :D**

**I'm so hyperified cause in my Music class, we're doing an ensemble and a solo song for a choice, and you can sing, or play an instrument so me and my bestest buddy Imi are singing 'What is This Feeling?' for the ensemble and I'm doing 'The Wizard and I' for my solo xD I was going to do 'Defying Gravity' but no Glinda so :/ but I love what I'm doing and yeep! So hyper about it!**

**xxxx**


	5. You Are The Dancing Queen

**Erm... hey guys...**

**When did I last update? Aeons ago? Yeah, I know. I'm sorry.**

**But tbh, I don't think many people are reading this, or Sight At First Love. So, please review, or message me or something, just so I know you're still out there, otherwise theres no point in continuing and I'll just leave these stories.**

**Disclaimer: Do I own Wicked? I own a Defy Gravity Tshirt, a witch's hat, a Wicked programme, a Wicked carrier bag, a Wicked ticket, the Wicked book, the Son of a Witch book, the Wicked soundtrack and a Fanfiction profile full of Wicked stories. I don't, however, own Wicked.**

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After a sleepless night listening to Elphaba's soft breathing, Galinda had racked her brain for ways to be nice to her roomie – without being too intimidating and full-on, something Fiyero said she sometimes did without realising. She wasn't hurt by this; she was hurt when he didn't say she looked cute while she did it, but she let it slide, as he was obviously thinking about how he could be nice to Elphaba too – and thinking wasn't Fiyero's strong point, really.

The morning after they met up during breakfast and discussed tactics. They formed a plan, and set it in motion that afternoon in dance class...

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The dance teacher, who Elphaba had finally been told was called Miss Yogis, seemed to be in a state of hyperness. She flitted around the room, giggling to herself, occasionally clapping her hands in little series of three and squealing, looking like a red-haired, older version of Galinda.

When everybody settled down (much to everyone's surprise Fiyero didn't swagger in late), Miss Yogis, looking like she was about to burst, explained to everyone what she was so excited about.

"Today," she said, her voice high and wavery with expectation. "A famous dance judge is coming into class to assess your performances!" The class broke out into gasps, except for one notable groan. One guess who that came from. "And, that's not all! He is going to pick one couple from this dance class to take part in a professional dance competition!" More gasps. Another groan. "So everybody get into your couples and practise, practise, practise! WE only have ten minutes until he comes!"

As everyone got caught in a mad scramble to find their partners, Fiyero grabbed Meret's arm. "Hey, you wanna swap partners?" he asked quickly.

Meret's eyes went from Elphaba to Galinda, before glancing at Fiyero and giving him a hasty nod. "Great!"

Elphaba meanwhile was trying to get her arms into the correct position to try begin the dance – the quickstep, which was ridiculously confusing and complicating.

"You're sticking your elbow out too far," a voice called from behind her, making her jump and lose her frame completely. "I also know why you're having so much trouble with the foxtrot."

"Because I'm terrible?" Elphaba turned and almost jumped again to see that it was Fiyero behind her.

"Nope," he walked towards her and casually pulled her arms gently into place. "Everyone suits a certain type of dance," he slotted himself into her frame, putting her hand on his shoulder with a quirk of a smile. "Galinda, for example, is amazing at the fast dances – the jive, the samba, that kind of thing. However, try to get her to do the tango, or the rumba with a bit more passion to it and she doesn't stop giggling," His arm slid around her waist. "Ever."

"So I can imagine," Elphaba had been so busy focussing on what Fiyero was saying that she didn't notice their position until now. "What are you doing...?"

"I'm being your partner."

"But Meret..."

"I think Meret is a bit busy."

"He's flirting with Galinda."

"Is he? Good for him."

"You're not upset that some jerk is chatting up your girlfriend?"

"Should I be?" Fiyero gave her frame one last check, before grinning. "Now, if a quickstep isn't the dance for you, I doubt complicated, fast dances are your type-"

"Never."

Fiyero ignored her sarcastic interruption. "So, lets aim for something simpler..." he took a sudden step forward, and Elphaba, on instinct, took a quick step back to avoid being trodden on. Fiyero took another step, then another, Elphaba retreating each time he advanced. The small workings of a smile spread over Fiyero's face, as he added in a couple of sidesteps, slowly building up the dance. Elphaba's eyes drifted onwards her feet, and his arm left her waist to gently pull her chin up. Her eyes hit his, and they danced on, beginning to spin around the room.

"So, if Galinda is a fast-dancer," Fiyero smiled at Elphaba's nervous tone and her categorization of Galinda. "And I'm simple-"

"You're not simple, just a beginner!"

Elphaba ignored him. "...And I'm simple, who are you? I mean, what are you good at?"

"Me?" Fiyero looked thoughtful for a moment. "Me? I assumed you knew... I'm good at _everything_!"

Elphaba's eyes trained on his for a second, trying to see if he was kidding or not, before she threw back her head and laughed. Fiyero, slightly taken aback, stared at her, her hair falling over her shoulders, her eyes shining with laughter, before scooping her up against him and spinning them both around in a whirl of steps that she amazingly managed to keep up with.

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Galinda glanced up at her roommate and her boyfriend rather sadly. She knew that if she hadn't already, it wouldn't be long until she lost him to Elphaba. She was a double-threat now and Fiyero wouldn't last much more than a few months, weeks even, against the pull she knew he felt for her.

Going back to Meret and her quickstep, she hardly noticed, nor cared, when the judge walked in, unnoticed to everyone but the dance teacher.

_They deserve each other_

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"Hang on," Elphaba tried to pause the dance for a moment, but Fiyero relentlessly swirled her around again. "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Don't act dumb with me, I know you're not _really _stupid," Elphaba frowned at him as he pulled her into a slow series of steps. "Why are you dancing with me? Oz, why are you being _nice _to me?"

"Because..." Fiyero swallowed, using the silence that fell as an excuse to start a chain of slightly harder movements, distracting her for a minute or two. "...Because I figured... You should stop feeling afraid, you should wake up feeling beautiful, you should... You should believe in someone, even if its not yourself. You should believe in _me._"

His gaze was trained steadily on hers as tears filled her eyes. "How...?"

Neither of them noticed how their dance had taken a mind of its own during Fiyero's speech and was now flowing all around the room. Neither of them noticed the judge watching them intently. Neither of them noticed how their faces slowly started to move towards each other until they were so close, their noses were almost touching-

"Them." The deep voice of the judge made the two jump apart quickly. He was a tall, dark skinned man with a bald head, wearing a suit that looked just the slightest bit too tight around his rather large waistline. "I want them for the competition."

"Elphaba? _Elphaba?_" Miss Yogis sounded almost mortified. "Fiyero, Fiyero I can understand, but _Elphaba?_"

"Did you just not see that?" The judge threw his hand towards the couple, who both looked embarrassed and were avoiding each other's gazes. "That raw chemistry?"

Elphaba seemed to choke on oxygen and Galinda went up behind her to tap her smartly on the back. "Well done," she whispered in the green girl's ear, who turned around to stare at her. Did se really just say that? _Nicely_?

"So, will you do it?" The judge looked at them expectantly.

"Sure," Fiyero shrugged. A dance competition. he'd been in plenty.

All eyes turned on Elphaba. "I...I...uh, I think I need to think...or throw up...or something...I just... I need to go!" she ran from the room, looking a pale, sickly green colour.

Galinda and Fiyero's eyes met. They nodded at each other, and Galinda exited swiftly to go find her roommate.

Everyone in the class looked at Fiyero, who, normally basking in the glow of popularity, looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him up.

"So... Boq... Did you see the game last night?" he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

Boq, who had been talking to Nessa in the corner looked up at the sound of his voice. "The game...?" He racked his brains. There hadn't been a game last night, had there? It was the wrong season for most Ozian games around now... He glanced up at Fiyero in confusion to be met with pleading eyes. Oh. _That _game. "Yeah, it was...good. Go, um, Wizards...!"

_That was a fail._

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**Extra-long chapter to make up for the wait :D**

**So, the dancing scene was the one that this fic was born out of, so its been great to finally write that! xD**

**So yeah, review please, if only to let me know you're still out there!**

**xxx**


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